Aquatic invertebrates in dune ponds at Sand Dunes Wilderness … · 2019-08-22 · 2 Introduction...
Transcript of Aquatic invertebrates in dune ponds at Sand Dunes Wilderness … · 2019-08-22 · 2 Introduction...
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Aquatic invertebrates in dune ponds at Sand Dunes Wilderness
Study Area
Lusha Tronstad J. Cody Bish Oliver Wilmot
Lead Invertebrate Zoologist Invertebrate Zoologists
Wyoming Natural Diversity Database
University of Wyoming
307-766-3115
Suggested citation: Tronstad, L.M., J.C. Bish and O.J. Wilmot. 2017. Aquatic invertebrates in dune ponds
at Sand Dunes Wilderness Study Area. Report prepared by the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database for
the Bureau of Land Management-Rock Springs Field Office.
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Introduction
The Killpecker Sand Dunes are the second largest sand dune field in North America and stretch from the
Ferris Mountains to north of Rock Springs, Wyoming. An area in the western portion of the dunes is
protected as a wilderness study area (WSA) prohibiting motorized vehicles (Sand Dunes WSA). The WSA
includes 27,109 acres owned by the Bureau of Land Management. Sand dunes are constantly shifting
and can reach heights of 100 ft. Desert elk, pronghorn, mule deer, raptors and mountain lions live in
Sand Dunes WSA.
One of the most unique aspects of Sand Dunes WSA are the aeolian ice cells that form from snow that
accumulates on the leeward side of the dunes and are subsequently covered with sand. The sand
insulates the snow and ice allowing it to slowly melt and form ponds. These ponds vary in size
seasonally and annually depending on climate and conditions. The objectives of our study were to 1.)
describe basic conditions in the ponds and 2.) identify the invertebrates living in these dune ponds.
Study Sites
We sampled 11 ponds in the Sand Dunes WSA (Figure 1). We sampled 7 ponds that were on the margin
of the dune field in 2012 and all the ponds in the dune field were dry. We sampled 6 ponds in 2014
when the spring was wetter and we sampled ponds in the dune field. At each pond, we measured basic
water quality using a Professional Plus Multiprobe made by Yellow Springs Instrument that was
calibrated before sampling. We photographed each site and recorded location using a global position
system. We sampled aquatic invertebrates using a D-frame dipnet with 250 µm mesh. Invertebrates
were sorted from the debris in the field and preserved in ~75% ethanol. We identified invertebrates to
the lowest taxonomic level possible given available keys, and age and condition of the specimen using a
variety of keys (Burch 1982, Smith 2001, Merritt et al. 2008, Thorp and Covich 2010).
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Figure 1. The ponds sampled in the Sand Dunes Wilderness Study Area.
Results
Table 1. Basic water quality measurements in dune ponds during 2012
Pond 2 4 5 5L 7 10 12
Water temperature (˚C ) 35.6 31.5 25.8 20.2 21.4 28 22.1
Dissolved Oxygen (% saturation) 242 251 139 149 124 85 120
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 15.9 16.6 10.6 12.8 10.4 6.2 9.7
Specific conductivity (µS/cm) 1193 14161 443.2 438.2 543 1652 769
pH 9.87 9.52 8.38 8.45 9.02 8.26 8.11
Oxidation-Reduction Potential (mV) 42 -50.4 61.7 177.6 145.8 48.6 130.6
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Table 2. Basic water quality measurement in dune ponds during 2014.
Table 3. Invertebrates collected in dune ponds during 2012. Taxa with question marks indicate the
most likely identification given the available keys or condition of the specimen.
Pond 1 2 7 8 9 13
Water temperature (˚C ) 5.7 9.5 12.3 20.2 16.8 18.9
Dissolved Oxygen (% saturation) 53 86 129 71 105 102
Dissolved Oxygen (mg/L) 6.3 9.3 13 5.2 9.6 8.5
Specific conductivity (µS/cm) 770.9 752 434.3 29401 972 1106
pH 9.13 8.4 9.21 10.36 9.23 9.41
Oxidation-Reduction Potential (mV) -44.1 -5.2 64.4 118.5 203.9 450.6
Order/Class Family Dune2B Dune 4B Dune5C Dune5B Dune7B Dune10B Dune12B
Annelida Hirudinida Helobdella stagnalis
Arachnida Acari Acari Acari
Coleoptera Dytiscidae Agabus Larvae Agabus Larvae Agabus Larvae Agabus
Coleoptera Dytiscidae Coptotomus Laccophilus Laccophilus
Coleoptera Dytiscidae Hygrotus sellatus Hygrotus sellatus
Coleoptera Haliplidae Haliplus Haliplus
Coleoptera Hydraenidae Ochthebius
Coleoptera Hydrophilidae Tropisternus Tropisternus
Coleoptera Hydrophilidae Berosus
Coleoptera Hydrophilidae Helophorus Helophorus Helophorus Helophorus
Copepoda Calanoida Sinocalanus? Sinocalanus?
Crustacean Cladoceran Cladoceran Cladoceran
Diptera Chironomidae Chironomidae Chironomidae Chironomidae Chironomidae Chironomidae Chironomidae
Ephemeroptera Baetidae Procloeon Procloeon Procloeon
Hemiptera Corixidae Early Instar Early Instar Early Instar
Hemiptera Corixidae Hesperocorixa Hesperocorixa Hesperocorixa Hesperocorixa Hesperocorixa
Hemiptera Gerridae Gerris Limnoporus
Hemiptera Notonectidae Notonecta kirbyi Notonecta kirbyi Notonecta kirbyi Notonecta kirbyi Notonecta kirbyi
Hemiptera Saldidae Specimen in rough shape
Lepidoptera Noctuidae Semi-aquatic
Molluska Bivalvia Sphaeriidae Sphaeriidae
Molluska Gastropoda Stagnicola Stagnicola Stagnicola
Molluska Gastropoda Physella Physella
Odonata Aeshnidae Anax junius Anax Anax
Odonata Coenagrionidae Enallagma annexum Enallagma annexum Enallagma annexumTelebasis salva
Odonata Lestidae Archilestes californica Archilestes californica Archilestes californica
Odonata Libellulidae Libellula composita Libellula composita Libellula comanche
Trichoptera Limniphilidae Limnephilus Limnephilus Limniphilus
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Table 4. Invertebrates collected in dune ponds during 2014. Taxa with question marks indicate the
most likely identification given the available keys or condition of the specimen. An “x” indicates the
presence of an invertebrate at the taxonomic level listed on the left.
Order/Class Family Dune 1 Dune2 Dune 7 Dune 8 Dune 9 Dune 13
Diptera Chironomidae (larva) x x x
Diptera Chironomidae (pupa) x x
Diptera Ceratopogonidae (larva) Culicoides & Bezzia/Palpomyia Culicoides & Bezzia/Palpomyia Leptocenops
Diptera Ceratopogonidae (pupa) x x x
Diptera Dolichopodidae (larva) x x
Diptera Dolichopodidae (pupa) x
Diptera Culicidae (larva) Aedes & Culiseta
Diptera Culicidae (pupa) x
Diptera Dixidae (larva) Dixella
Diptera Tipulidae (larva) Oriomosia?
Diptera Stratiomyiidae (larva) Odontomyia Nemotelus
Diptera Unk larva x x
Diptera Unk pupa x x
Coleoptera Dytiscidae (adult) Hygrotus Desmopachria
Coleoptera Dytiscidae (larva) Agabus? & unk early instar
Coleoptera Hydrophilidae (adult) Hydrobius & Helophorus Helophorus Laccophilus Helophorus
Coleoptera Heteroceridae (adult) x x
Coleoptera Staphylinidae (adult) x x x
Coleoptera Carabidae (adult)
Coleoptera Carabidae (larva) x
Coleoptera Cicindelidae (now Carabidae) x
Hemiptera Corixidae Corisella?
Hemiptera Notonectidae Notonecta kirbyi
Hemiptera Unk adult x
Hemiptera Unk larva x x x
Ephemeroptera Caenidae Caenis
Odonata Lestidae Lestes
Odonata Libellulidae Pachydiplax
Collembola Collembola x x
Annelida Oligochaeta x x x
Annelida Hirudinea Hellobdella stagnalis
Mollusk Gastropoda Physa acuta Physidae
Mollusk Gastropoda Gyraulus parvus Lymnaeidae Lymnaeidae
Mollusk Gastropoda Gyraulus deflectus
Mollusk Bivalvia Sphaeriidae
Crustcea Cladocera Daphnia pulex Daphnia pulex ephippia only
Crustcea Copepoda Homocyclops?
Arachnida Acari x
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Dune Pond 1
Date: 19 June 2014
Coordinates: 41.99153°N -109.23430°W NAD83
Elevation: 2053 m
Pond Description: Enclosed in fence, shallow water and area covered with rushes
Habitat in pond: Rushes cover entire pond
Pond substrate: Sand and organic matter
Size: 57 x 20 m
Depth: 2 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: No-see-um (Culicoides, Bezzia/Palpomyia), Mosquitos (Aedes, Culiseta), Meniscus midges
(Dixella), Cranefly (likely Oriomosia), Soldierfly (Odontomyia)
Beetles: Predaceous diving beetles (Hygrotus), Water scavenger beetles (Hydrobius, Helophorus)
Snails: Ramshorn snail (Gyraulus parvus)
Crustaceans: Water fleas (Daphnia pulex), Copepods (likely Homocyclops)
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Dune Pond 2
Dates: 10 July 2012 and 19 June 2014
Coordinates: 41.99128°N -109.23564 NAD83
Elevation: 2063 m
Pond Description: Pond inside enclosure at margin of dunes
Habitat in pond: Bull rushes around margin of pond, submerged aquatic vegetation on bottom
Pond substrate: Sand and silt, black and anoxic below surface
Width: 18 m
Depth: 8 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: No-see-um (Culicoides, Bezzia/Palpomyia), Soldierfly (Nemotelus), Non-biting midges
(Chironomidae)
Beetles: Predaceous diving beetles (Desmopachria, Hygrotus sellatus, likely Agabus), Water scavenger
beetles (Helophorus)
True bugs: Water boatmen (likely Corisella), Water skaters (Gerris), Backswimmers (Notonecta kirbyi),
Shorebugs (Saldidae)
Damselflies: Skimmers (Archilestes californica)
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Dune Pond 4
Date: 15 July 2012
Coordinates: 41.99197°N -109.23733°W NAD83
Elevation: 2065 m
Pond Description: No riparian vegetation, used by cattle
Habitat in pond: Open water, floating algae and some rushes
Pond substrate: Silt and sand, anoxic below surface
Size: 32 m
Depth: 15 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: Non-biting midges (Chironomidae)
True bugs: Water boatmen (Hesperocorixa)
Crustaceans: Water fleas (likely Sinocalanus)
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Dune Pond 5
Date: 10 July 2012
Coordinates: 41.99450°N -109.24994°W NAD83
Elevation: 2073
Pond Description: Long and narrow pond east of railroad grade
Habitat in pond: Submerged aquatic vegetation
Pond substrate: Mostly sand, some silt
Size: 5 x 37 m
Depth: 90 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: Non-biting midges (Chironomidae)
Mayflies: Small minnow mayflies (Procloeon)
True bugs: Water boatmen (Hesperocorixa), Backswimmers (Notonecta kirbyi)
Dragonflies: Skimmer (Libellula composita)
Damselflies: Narrow-winged damselflies (Enallagma annexum), Skimmers (Archilestes californica)
Snails: Bladder snails (Physella), Pond snails (Stagnicola)
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Dune Pond 5L
Date: 11 July 2012
Coordinates: 41.99419°N -109.25075°W NAD83
Elevation: 2066
Pond Description: Shallow, elongate pond used by cattle
Habitat in pond: Submerged aquatic vegetation
Pond substrate: Sand and silt
Size: 8 x 37 m
Depth: 18 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: Non-biting midges (Chironomidae)
Mayflies: Small minnow mayflies (Procloeon)
Caddisfly: Northern Caddisflies (Limnephilus)
True bugs: Water boatmen (Hesperocorixa), Backswimmers (Notonecta kirbyi)
Dragonflies: Skimmer (Libellula composita), Green darner (Anax junius)
Damselflies: Narrow-winged damselflies (Enallagma annexum), Skimmers (Archilestes californica)
Snails: Bladder snails (Physella), Pond snails (Stagnicola)
Clams: Fingernail clam (Sphaeriidae)
Crustaceans: Water flea (Cladoceran)
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Dune Pond 7
Dates: 11 July 2012 and 19 June 2014
Coordinates: 41.99475°N -109.25147°W NAD83
Elevation: 2071 m
Pond Description: U-shaped pond, used by cattle, tiger salamander larvae use the pond
Habitat in pond: Algae and submerged aquatic vegetation
Pond substrate: Mostly sand and some silt
Size: 32 x 23 m
Depth: 60 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: Non-biting midges (Chironomidae)
Mayflies: Small minnow mayflies (Procloeon), Small squaregill mayflies (Caenis)
Caddisfly: Northern Caddisflies (Limnephilus)
Beetles: Predaceous diving beetles (Agabus, Coptotomus), Water scavenger beetles (Laccophilus)
True bugs: Water boatmen (Hesperocorixa), Backswimmers (Notonecta kirbyi)
Dragonflies & Damselflies: Green darner (Anax), Narrow-winged damselflies (Enallagma annexum)
Snails: Bladder snails (Physidae), Pond snails (Lymnaeidae), Ramshorn snail (Gyraulus deflectus)
Clams: Fingernail clam (Sphaeriidae)
Crustaceans: Water flea (Cladoceran)
Mites: Water mites (Acari)
Leeches: (Helobdella stagnalis)
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Dune Pond 8
Date: 18 June 2014
Coordinates: 41.98428°N -109.20835°W NAD83
Elevation: 2034 m
Pond Description: At margins of dunes, drying
Habitat in pond: No vegetation
Pond substrate: Clay and sand, soft, anoxic sediments
Size: 83 x 58 m
Depth: 2.5 cm
Invertebrates:
Cladocera ephippia (dormant eggs)
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Dune Pond 9
Date: 18 June 2014
Coordinates: 41.99313°N -109.21032°W NAD83
Elevation: 2041 m
Pond Description: Pond in sand dunes
Habitat in pond: Shallow pond lacking vegetation
Pond substrate: Sand
Size: 9 x 39 m
Depth: 6 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: Non-biting midges (Chironomidae), Long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae)
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Dune Pond 10
Date: 10 July 2012
Coordinates: 41.99050°N -109.24386°W NAD83
Elevation: 2057 m
Pond Description: L-shaped pond, used by cattle, poor water clarity
Habitat in pond: Very little vegetation in pond
Pond substrate: Sand and silt
Size: 6 x 30 m
Depth: 15 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Trueflies: Non-biting midges (Chironomidae)
Beetles: Predaceous diving beetles (Agabus, Laccophilus, Hygrotus sellatus), Minute moss beetles
(Ochthebius), Water scavenger beetles (Tropisternus, Berosus, Helophorus)
True bugs: Water boatmen (Hesperocorixa)
Damselflies: Narrow-winged damselflies (Telebasis salva)
Crustacea: Copepods (likely Sinocalanus)
Leeches: (Helobdella stagnalis)
Helobdella stagnalis
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Dune Pond 12
Date: 11 July 2012
Coordinates: 41.99611°N -109.25497°W NAD83
Elevation: 2074 m
Pond Description: Small pond used by cattle
Habitat in pond: Rushes and submerged aquatic vegetation
Pond substrate: Sand and silt
Size: 3 x 18 m
Depth: 46 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
Beetles: Predaceous diving beetles (Laccophilus), Water scavenger beetles (Helophorus), Crawling water
beetles (Haliplus)
True bugs: Backswimmers (Notonecta kirbyi), Water skaters (Limnoporus)
Dragonflies: Skimmer (Libellula comanche), Green darner (Anax)
Snails: Pond snails (Stagnicola)
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Dune Pond 13
Date: 18 June 2014
Coordinates: 41.99597°N -109.20647°W NAD83
Elevation: 2041 m
Pond Description: In dunes, 3 ponds drying in depression that were previous connected
Habitat in pond: Rushes in on pond, no vegetation in other ponds
Pond substrate: Sand with organic matter and silt layer on top
Size: 18 x 39 m
Depth: 9 cm
Invertebrates (see tables 1 and 2 for complete list):
True flies: No-see-ums (Leptocenops), Long-legged flies (Dolichopodidae)
Beetles: Water scavenger beetles (Helophorus)
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Photos of some aquatic invertebrates collected in the dune ponds.
Dragonflies and damselflies
Anax Archilestes californica
Enallagma annexum Libellula comanche
Libellula composita
Telebasis salva
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Beetles
Agabus
Berosus
Coptotomus Hygrotus sellatus
Ochthebius
Tropisternus
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True bugs
Crustacean Caddisflies
True flies
Chironomidae
Hesperocorixa Notonecta kirbyi
Limnoporus
Copepods Limnephilus
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Literature Cited
Burch, J. B. 1982. North American Freshwater Snails. Walkerana 1:217-365. Merritt, R. W., K. W. Cummins, and M. B. Berg, editors. 2008. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of
North America. 4th edition. Kendall Hunt Publishing, Dubuque, IA. Smith, D. G. 2001. Pennak's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States. 4th edition. John Wiley and
Sons, Inc., New York. Thorp, J. H., and A. P. Covich, editors. 2010. Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater
Invertebrates. 3rd edition. Elsevier, New York.